1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wire racks for holding containers in washing and/or sterilizing apparatus, and more particularly, to an improved wire rack for holding at least one of either a large or small rigid container having a deep bottom portion, a lid and an intermediate portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hospitals have for a long time used muslin wraps to enclose surgical instruments during sterilization and during the transport and storage of instruments following sterilization. Recently, specially designed rigid containers have replaced the muslin wrap as the enclosure of choice for use during the sterilization of surgical instruments and other health care related items. The containers include bottom portions of varying depths for holding the instruments and other items, lids, which, together with the bottom portions define an enclosed space, and an intermediate portion for insertion into the space. The intermediate portions may be either filter plates or valve assembly plates which protect the instruments or other items being sterilized against reinfection during transport and storage. The containers are available in small and large sizes for accommodating different instrument loads.
Problems have been encountered during cleaning and during the first phase of sterilizing the containers. Conventional racks used to hold the containers do not permit the container portions to be positioned for efficient washing and/or sterilizing. The surfaces of the portions of the containers are not evenly accessible by fluid injected into the washing and/or sterilizing apparatus. Liquids are sometimes retained in the container portions because of the positioning necessitated by the conventional racks.
In addition, the rigid container surfaces are subject to mechanical abuse, such as denting and abrasion, from contact with other rigid surfaces during the washing and/or sterilizing.
Accordingly, there is a need for a rack for holding either the small or large containers having deep bottom portions, lids and intermediate portions, in washing and/or sterilizing apparatus which permits the container portions to be positioned for substantially unobstructed exposure of all surfaces of the containers to the fluid injected into the apparatus. There is a further need for such a rack which will permit the container portions to be positioned to avoid mechanical abuse by being maintained in a spaced relationship relative to the other portions. Finally, there is a need for such a rack which will permit such positioning within the space available in conventional washing and/or sterilizing apparatus.